Former Arsenal Defender Fires Warning At Gunners Over Giroud

Olivier Giroud has been brilliant for Arsenal but there is no adequate back-up for the striker, according to Frank McLintock.

Frank McLintock has warned that Arsenal must careful manage Olivier Giroud with the side suffering from a lack of depth in their attack.

Giroud is one of only two senior strikers in the Gunners' attack and while Nicklas Bendtner is available for selection the Denmark international has a long history of trying to leave the club and did not impress on his most recent loan spell with Juventus.

Arsene Wenger has insisted that Bendtner will be an important member of the squad this season but McLintock believes that if anything should happen to Giroud Arsenal will find themselves in trouble in front of goal.

"Arsenal are getting much closer than they were last year but they still desperately need another centre-forward," the former Arsenal man told Talksport.

"If Giroud gets injured they could be in bad trouble and that could undo all the good work so far this season.

"When you think of Man United, who won the Premier League title last year, they've got four strikers, we've got one, or two if you count Nicklas Bendtner."

Arsenal had tried to land Luis Suarez in the summer but Liverpool fought hard to keep hold of the controversial Uruguay international and deadline day passed without a deal being struck.

Wenger is believed to have been handed a big budget for the January transfer window and might go for Suarez once more, though the club have been strongly connected to a possible deal with Borussia Dortmund striker Robert Lewandowski, who scored the winning goala against Arsenal in the Champions League group game last week.

One area that Arsenal were able to successfully build on in the summer was their midfield, and while the club have been lauded for bringing in Mesut Ozil McLintock believes that free signing Mathieu Flamini ihas proved to be equally signficant.

"Flamini has been wonderful," he explained. "For a free transfer he's settled into that team very well. As soon as he came on the pitch he was like the captain, organising people, and that's what Arsenal needed.

"We've got some very good midfield players at Arsenal but they are all alike, and Flamini makes the difference. He holds his position, makes his tackles and controls the midfield."